in the
town, near which my estate lies. People talked much about the young
musician, and of his artistic skill. He was engaged to teach on all our
neighboring estates. I did the same. I had him come to my house every
day and had no suspicion of misfortune. After a few months, my daughter,
who was hardly eighteen years old, told me that she wanted to marry that
man. I answered her that that never would happen; she should never again
speak of such a thing. She did not say another word, nor did she
complain--that was not her way. I thought all was past and settled, but
found it safer to stop the lessons, and I dismissed the instructor. The
same evening my daughter asked me, whether I could ever in my life
change my opinion. 'Never in my life,' I said, 'that is as sure as my
military honor'. The next morning, she had disappeared. A letter left
for me told me that she was going away with that man and would become
his wife. From that time on,--it is now twelve years ago,--I have never
heard anything from my child, till your letter came.

"That my daughter is dead, I can well believe, but that she has left a
helpless little boy, that I do not believe, for she would have sent such
a boy, of whom she had a right to dispose, to me; she knows me, she
would have known that I would give him my name, and the remembrance
would be wiped away. But this boy, who has disappeared again at the
right time, has been substituted by the music-teacher, who no doubt
lives somewhere in this neighborhood, and has done it for the purpose of
receiving a sum of money from me. And now, dear Sir, we are through. The
only thing left for me is to express my regret that, your kindness has
been misused through my name; good-bye."

With these words the colonel rose and offered his hand to the pastor.
The latter held it firmly, saying: "Only one more word, Colonel!
Consider one thing: you know your daughter's character. After she had
done you the great wrong, she might have decided not to send the boy to
you before he in some way could make good the mother's wrongdoing--perhaps
not until the time when he would do honor to your name, when he should
prove to you through his own character that he was worthy of your name."

"You are a splendid man, who means well with me; but you have not had
the experience I have had. You know no distrust, I can see that, and
that is why you have been imposed upon. Let us part."

Saying this the colonel again shook the pasto